Only it seems to me that once in your life before you die you ought to see a country where they don’t talk in English and don’t even want to. ~Thornton Wilder
I ordered a coffee and a little something to eat and savored the warmth and dryness. Somewhere in the background Nat King Cole sang a perky tune. I watched the rain beat down on the road outside and told myself that one day this would be twenty years ago. ~Bill Bryson
What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.
Jane Goodall
Nancy got the promotion! Yessss! Now what should she do? It was exciting when she Ditched her Job for a new and better opportunity. When Nancy learnt that she got the new role that came with higher salary and perks, she could hardly retain her joy. But as she began thinking deeply about her new role, she found herself nervous because she was new to management. She asked herself, what if I fail? What if they don’t like me? What if they realize I am a fraud? Tons of questions but the truth is to get out of this rump, there are things Nancy can do.
These three simple tips will help Nancy overcome her fear. At the minimum, she should be able to manage the jitters. In addition, there are books that deals with the art of managing for the new leader. Angela Robinson shared 12 Books for New Managers. Below I recommend 7. Take a look at the list below and choose one, two or a few that will help you grow in your new role.
7 Books Every New Manager Should Read
Be the Boss Everyone Wants to Work For: A Guide for New Leaders by William A. Gentry Ph.D.
The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter by Michael Watkins
Welcome to Management: How to Grow From Top Performer to Excellent Leader by Ryan Hawk
The Making of a Manager: What to Do When Everyone Looks to You by Julie Zhuo
The First-Time Manager by Jim McCormick, Loren B. Belker, Gary S. Topchik
Everyone Deserves a Great Manager: The 6 Critical Practices for Leading a Team by Scott Jeffrey Miller and Todd Davis
Everyone Deserves a Great Manager: The 6 Critical Practices for Leading a Team by Scott Jeffrey Miller and Todd Davis
From the list, which do you like the most? Would you read and/or recommend to others? Do share. We would love to hear!
The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.
Oprah Winfrey
Change is hard. Changing a habit especially one that has been a habit for a lifetime is no small feat. Recently, the question was asked “how does one make change stick?” Great question especially with the holidays on the horizon when many are swamped with resolutions. Here are 7 easy to do strategies to help you progress.
Focus on your Why
Set Deadlines and Stick to it
Make Changes manageable
Celebrate Small Wins
Take small steps. Increase as you Progress
Get an Accountability Partner
Track your Progress
What has worked for you? Do share, we would love to hear.
𝓢𝓮𝓵𝓯-𝓬𝓪𝓻𝓮 Walk away from people and situations that cause you pain.
From people who put you down. Walk away from things that poison your soul.
Think about your inner circle. Are they adding value? Find yourself always feeling sad and down caused by others? Look deeply. Maybe it’s time to walk away.
CNN headline news shared the news of Karly – a 27 year old who ordered a cake with her resume printed on it and sent it to the company of her dreams. Guess where? Nike!
This feat was done from her location in North Carolina to their headquarters in Oregon. Talk about innovation! All with the help of an equally ferocious delivery driver. Karly then shared the picture of the cake on LinkedIn …that’s the place for top jobs, right? Sure enough it sparked lots of interest. Some ‘meanies’ chimed in too. They thought it was a bad idea and voiced how they would never hire her.
The Creativity of the Creative
Personally I’m a lover of anything different. Of thinking outside the box. Same result but with a twist. It brings in the new; makes one stand out against the competition (whether or not there is competition) and shows initiative, The open-minded for sure will snatch up the innovative.
Step out today. Try something new, something different. Heck, you may even surprise yourself! And oh by the way, don’t limit this to jobs only. Travel, relationships, entrepreneurship ventures and more are all included.
What’s the most creative step have you taken? Do share. We would love to hear.
Spending time alone is one of my absolute pleasures. I’m sure I’m not alone. You may also like to do that as well. A few years ago I shared that I had some planning to do and decided on a whim to jump into my car and drive to the beach. A few hours later, I had mapped out plans for my top goals for the rest of the year! yea! I left feeling totally satisfied to get things done! What seemed like an drilling exercise turned out to be quite productive, in a serene atmosphere.
Self-Care
Jo Chunyan shared a list of things do alone. I decided to pull my top 15 to share.
Journal. Write up a list of things you would love to do. Declare your dreams and intentions or simply empty out all your thoughts into your notebook.
What happens when your career becomes your identity? This Happens to so many of us? Here are 3 of the Questions HBR’s contributor Janna Koretz suggest asking yourself.
1. How do you think about your job outside the office?
2. How do you describe yourself? How much of this description is tied to your job, title, or company?
3.How would you feel if you could no longer continue in your profession?
Great questions. Read the article for the full analysis.
You may also listen to tips as I chat with Patricia Reid-Waugh or get a copy of my book ‘Your Career’ Ditch It? Switch it?’ Both provide a deeper dive into how you can ditch it and gain the identity that brings lasting satisfaction.
I write because there’s something in me that needs to come out. I am at peace when I write. Writers write for many different reasons. Some personal, experiential, or environmental. Christine Caldalzo created a pictogram of 10 reasons writers write. Here I share 10:
10 Reasons Writers Write
They love to write
To express their thoughts
To communicate
To share experiences
To tell about events
To share their feelings
To persuade
To teach
To Ask Questions
They want something
Does any of the above resonate with your reason(s) to write? Any missing that you would like to add? Do share. We would love to hear.
If you could give advice to your younger self, what would it be?
Life changes. We evolve, make decisions, choose careers, relationships, and enlarge our own space to embrace and create our own circle of influence including nuclear families. Recently I came across the common question about life and pondering the changes you would have made if you had the chance to advise your younger self. In deep thought I decided to ask professionals what their thoughts were. Most reflected. Here are excerpts of those who quickly chimed in:
Stop and smell the roses. Life passes by in a flash. Children grow up. Relationships mature, evolve, change. Enjoy life. Appreciate the little things.
Take more adventures. Let go of traditions.
Enjoy life more along my journey. To be fearless and take more risks.
Slow down, travel, start a business, invest, read more.
Writing is a joy. Being a first time publisher is exhilarating! But what’s difficult is some parts of the writing journey. In a Public forum authors were asked what was the hardest part of writing. Many eagerly chimed in with top issues such as marketing and editing. Here I share the top 25:
The Hardest Part Of Writing
Marketing
Building and attracting an audience
A blank page
Convincing people to read your book
Being confident that you write for yourself first, then the secondary audience – the public
Busy is good. That’s my favorite response to entrepreneurs who express that they are busy.
You see, we have all been there when there is nothing to do. No job. No contract. No financial inflow. What frequently follows is sadness, apathy, boredom, inability to meet financial obligations and the list goes on. For sure that ain’t good for our mental state and wellbeing.
Among Others
An 80-year-old grandmother was busy going to the gym, church, shopping, Medical visits to the doctor. Those activities kept her busy. It made her feel alive. Then suddenly her husband also retired. Now they both sit at home watching golf, tennis, jeopardy and wheel of fortune on TV. This past weekend she spent time in the hospital. Latency had stepped in.
The Deal
That’s what happens when we are not busy. It happens to entrepreneurs, workers, student or retirees. There’s no respect of persons.
Tough Nickel 
I write because there’s something in me that needs to come out. I am at peace when I write. Writers write for many different reasons. Some personal, experiential, or environmental. Christine Caldalzo created a pictogram of 10 reasons writers write. Here I share 10:
